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January 16, 2014

A Quilt from Apple Pie Ridge

Have you ever found a quilt too pitiful to save? Such was the condition of one quilt that was recently unearthed by the owner of a Quaker house on Apple Pie Ridge, Virginia. It is shown below with relics of the apple industry in Winchester, Virginia: an apple cider jar and a newspaper article detailing the 1925 Apple Blossom Festival.

Quilt and artifacts from Apple Pie Ridge.

In the newspaper article from the Baltimore Sun, the Queen of the Festival is pictured in a feather headdress. Also shown (at right) are re-enactors portraying "Quaker Settlers of the Shenandoah: These Soberly Dressed Participants In The Festival Made A Striking Picture Against The Gay Background Of Blossoms".

Newspaper article courtesy of Barbara Harner Suhay.It is impossible to underestimate the early importance of apple growing--and the role of Quakers-- to the orchards of Apple Pie Ridge in Frederick County, Virginia. John Bond, the husband of quiltmaker Ann Lupton Bond (1840-1920), was an orchardist himself. The Bonds would have been familiar with scenes such as this one, showing another family's orchard on Apple Pie Ridge.

Apple picking time, Boyle's Orchard on Apple Pie Ridge. Private collection.Faded, stained, and deteriorating, the quilt found in the "Lupton-Bond" house was definitely destined for the trash heap.Yet despite its condition, we felt it had more life in it, at least from an historical perspective. We knew the quilt came out of a house where a known-quilter, Ann Lupton Bond, made other quilts. Furthermore, the recently-found quilt contains 10 stitches per inch quilting in parallel rows and cross-hatching that come together in a chevron pattern. Similar quilting is observed in at least one other quilt firmly attributed to Ann. Although we can't attribute this post's topic quilt to Ann without firmer documentary evidence, we can consider it in the context of its home.

Back of house showing original portion of the c. 1810-1830 Lupton-Bond House. Photograph courtesy of Katie Anderson.The quilt measures 98.5 X 98.5 inches. It is comprised of approximately 9.5 X 9.5 inch blocks, constructed with a single triangle in white (now stained tan) and sixteen small triangles of alternating white and printed fabric, joined on the diagonal. Some of the block settings produce an "hourglass" effect. The quilt is bound with the backing rolled from the back to the front, and it has a 1/5 inch border and mitered corners. The batt is cotton. The fabrics are barely there. A few brighter spots of color may or may not be repairs.

Although it is sad to see a quilt in such a poor condition, there are things to be studied from an historical perspective. And, as with most quilts, the more we look, the more we see. This tired old quilt was beautifully made with loving care and must have been lovely in its day.

Note: Thank you to John and Katie Anderson for this quilt and information pertaining to it. Thank you, also, to Barbara Harner Suhay for the newspaper article. Quilt photos by Mary Holton Robare.

2 comments:

Thank you for sharing. I love quilts like this. They have a story to tell even if we don't speak their 'language.' But we can recognize the word 'love' in it. It was obviously loved & for that deserves some respect. I am a sentimental sap when it comes to these as well. Beauty all their own.Have a beautiful weekend.

Ann Hanna Hambleton

Ann was the mother-in-law of Philena Cooper Hambleton, the subject of Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio, and the great-aunt of Senator Marcus Hanna of Ohio.

American Quilt Study Group

Do you know about the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG)? If not, you should. The purpose of this non-profit organization is to establish, sustain, and promote the highest standards for quilt related studies, to encourage these studies, and to provide opportunities to disseminate the work of both academic and non-academic researchers. Membership in the AQSG entitles one to receive Uncoverings, an annual journal of the research papers presented at AQSG's yearly Seminar, and a quarterly publication titled Blanket Statements containing research papers, notes and queries, as well as AQSG and quilt world news. In addition, an annual directory is provided that lists the names, contact information, and interests of current AQSG members--a valuable networking resource that gives access to approximately 950 fellow quilt enthusiasts. Click on the quilt block above to visit AQSG's web site and learn how to become a member. The site also provides information about the organization's annual Seminar, its publication opportunities, its Quilt Study program, and the Technical Guides and other publications available to members and the general public. AQSG is also on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Quilt-Study-Group/149056808116.

Quaker Quilts: Snapshots from an Exhibition

This pamphlet by Mary Holton Robare contains photographic and informational snapshots of quilts that were displayed in a three-day exhibit of Quaker Quilts held at Abram's Delight Museum in Winchester, Virginia, in 2014. The exhibit featured twenty-six quilts made between ca. 1840 and 2007. Click on the image to learn more about it.

Quilts and Quaker Heritage

Mary Holton Robare's book on selected quilts from an exhibition at the Virginia Quilt Museum in 2008. Click on the book to order and search by title.

Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio

In this 4th publication of the Ohio Quilt Series published by Ohio University Press, Lynda Salter Chenoweth presents the story of Philena Cooper Hambleton and the quilt made for her in Ohio in 1853 to take with her when she migrated to Iowa. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

Neighbors and Friends: Quakers in Community

Lynda Salter Chenoweth's second book based on her research into Philena's quilt tells the stories of those whose names appear on the quilt and places their lives in context. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

When This You See Remember Me

Also of interest by Mary Holton Robare. Schoolgirl Samplers of Winchester and Frederick County, Virginia. To order, click on the book, click "Store", then "Softcover Books" and search on title.

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Copyright

(c) 2011-2017 Lynda Salter Chenoweth and Mary Holton Robare. Absolutely no reproduction or distribution permitted beyond one copy for personal study. For additional permissions regarding text please e-mail lchen@saber.net. All images are reproduced with permission of copyright holders. Any commercial or online use is strictly forbidden.

Lynda Salter Chenoweth

Mary Holton Robare

About Us

Lynda and Mary are quilt historians experienced in researching and publishing information about quilts made by members of the Religious Society of Friends. Their particular interest is in 19th century inscribed quilts that document Quaker families and their communities.
Lynda lives in Sonoma,California, and is a writer, a quilter, a researcher, and a member of the Board of the American Quilt Study Group. Mary lives in Winchester, Virginia, and is a writer, a researcher, and a choreographer and dance instructor.